Pro-Palestine protestors charged with obstruction, disorderly conduct

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has filed criminal charges against Aishath Shadhiya and Dr. Shazra Ibrahim – the two women who were arrested from a pro-Palestine demonstration in Male’ City in August.

Shadhiya, 47 – the wife of Islamic scholar Dr. Mohamed Iyaz, and Shazra, 36 – were arrested from Male’ on August 28.

A spokesperson from the PGO confirmed it filed charges against the two with the Criminal Court last week.

They were pressed with two charges; obstructing administration of law or other government functions and disorderly conduct.

The obstruction charge – a Class 1 misdemeanor – carries a basic sentence of four months and 24 days in prison. Meanwhile, the disorderly conduct charge – a Class 3 misdemeanor – carries a sentence of one month and six days in prison.

Shaziya and Shazra face six months in prison if convicted of the charges.

According to the police, Shadhiya and Shazra repeatedly demonstrated outside diplomatic missions in violation of the laws on peaceful assembly, used megaphones to shout and use foul language, hindered the work of diplomatic missions, and also repeatedly targeted a specific ambassador with acts of harassment.

The police said that they ignored repeated warnings by the police to leave and obstructed law enforcement.

They were arrested under a court order at around 01:00 pm on August 28.

Shadhiya and Shazra had repeatedly staged demonstrations in Male’ and Hulhumale’ since as early as June. According to the police, this includes on June 16 and August 9, when they followed a foreign ambassador and left items outside his residence, including what appears to be a mock dead body covered in a white shroud.

The police did not specify which ambassador they targeted.

The warrants for their arrest were later overturned upon appeal by the High Court. The decision was appealed by the PGO with the Supreme Court.